The vocabulary according to Z. Kui

A glossary of terms and ideas.

A

Accelerationism

A political and social philosophy that advocates for the drastic intensification and rapid expansion of capitalist growth and technological development in order to hasten the collapse of the status quo and trigger radical societal transformation.

Accelerationism, left-wing
Advocates for pushing development to its absolute limits to break through capitalism and transition into a post-scarcity, automated socialist society. Championed by Nick Srnicek.
Accelerationism, right-wing
Seeks the rapid intensification of capitalist and technological forces to dissolve democratic institutions and enforce social fragmentation. Championed by Nick Land.

Auerbach, Frank

British painter (1931–2013) known for thickly textured, layered, expressive portraits.

C

Carbon removal

The process of capturing CO₂ from the atmosphere and storing it to reduce the effects of climate change.

Cheng, Ian

American artist known for live simulation works and worldbuilding that explore AI, consciousness, and emergent behavior.

Cosmotechnics

A concept by philosopher Yuk Hui arguing that technology is not universal but shaped by different cultural and cosmological traditions.

D

d²y/dt²

Mathematical notation for acceleration of a quantity (y).

Demon

A malevolent supernatural entity; in Chinese mythology, a harmful spirit associated with chaos, illness, or disruption of cosmic order.

G

Geomythology

The study of how geological events such as earthquakes, floods, and volcanic eruptions are encoded and preserved in myths and oral traditions.

Giacometti, Alberto

Swiss sculptor and painter (1901–1966) known for his elongated, skeletal human figures that evoke themes of isolation, existential anxiety, and the fragility of human existence.

H

Hockey stick graph

A data visualization showing a long flat trend followed by a sharp upward rise; famously used in climate science to illustrate rising global temperatures, and in business to illustrate exponential growth of the largest technology companies.

I

Infinite games

From James Carse's philosophy: games played not to win but to continue play; contrasted with finite games that have a fixed end and winner.

J

Jaki/Xiegui

Demons trampled underfoot by Japanese and Chinese deities such as the Heavenly King door guardians, symbolising the subjugation of malevolent or chaotic forces.

K

Keeling curve

A graph showing the continuous rise of atmospheric CO₂ concentrations since 1958, measured at Mauna Loa Observatory by scientist Charles Keeling.

kgCO₂e (or kgCO₂eq)

the standardized unit of measurement used to quantify the overall climate warming impact of various greenhouse gases, combining them into a single metric based on their Global Warming Potential (GWP) compared to CO₂.

S

T

The peace of exhaustion

A term from French sociology thinker Paul Virilio describing a state of collective burnout and paralysis that results from the relentless acceleration of modern life.

Z

Zhong Kui

A figure from Chinese mythology and folklore; a vanquisher of ghosts and evil spirits, often depicted as a fierce deity who protects against demonic forces.

See Z.Kui

A